Notes / Commercial Description:
Finch's Blonde Ale is an easy drinking and approachable American craft beer. It has a moderately sweet malty aroma and is deep gold in color. We like to think of this particular one as more of a 'Dirty Blonde.' When you first pour it, a soft lacey foam clings to the glass as malty aromas fill your nose and linger to the final sip. Upon finish, this blonde turns heads with a smooth finish and a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. Enjoy this medium-bodied craft beer anytime of year.

Big pour for a little head. A finger of foamy white. Body is pale blond. Decent lace, but little retention.

Nose is some tangy malt, I think, and some rather acrid hops. Not ideal, but definitely not skunked, because it's canned.

This is quite hop-forward, for a blonde, and has way more bite than I was expecting. That said, the hops used are quite bitter and come across as almost metallic. Some biscuity malt is present... kind of, in the aftertaste, which is faintly floral. This was not as balanced as I was hoping for.

Feel is pretty smooth, nothing weird here.

For a blonde, this is totally dominated by bitterness, which is unexpected for the style.

Pours a hazy gold with a nice amount of carb that forms a thin head of white foam that falls to a collar. Sheets of lace form with each gulp. Smells mostly of papaya with a bit of wet cardboard and canned corn. Tastes much better, with a very crisp, light malt character and surprisingly robust hop character, especially the assertive hop bite in the finish. First time I've had hop burps from a blonde ale!

Pours very cloudy hazy goldish bordering on orange. Some small layer of white foam on the top. Very faint light smell. Medium hopped malt which starts strong and lingers. Touch overbalanced. Some lemon. Decent body. The taste is just a little off.

It has been a long time since I have had this beer. But from what I can remember this beer was ok. The taste was not all that bad. I enjoyed the sweet and malty flavor that this beer has. The aroma was not all that bad as well. I liked the golden color that this beer has as well.

Another can provided by the (in)famous woodychandler. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has a deep golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is malty and biscuity. Taste has a good bit of hops for the style, bready, some malts, easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer.

The scent was a bit green (young) and nondescript. Some yeasty notes, fresh and clean, but little else to be honest. Dry hop it for some aroma?

Firmly bitter, earthy and herbal hop presence that lingered for a bit into the aftertaste. Somewhat floral with a light malt presence. Easy drinking, simple and well carbonated without much nuance. Quenching and sessionable enough, seemed like something best paired with food. Maiden voyage from Finch's, i've heard good things about the Cut Throat Pale Ale, and plan to seek it out next...

Golden Wing has a real nice traditional beer appearance, a light gold translucent brew with a head that dissipates to a thin layer with retention on the glass. Aroma is light with malt and lemon, which conveys its flavor. The taste is biscuty, lemon with a dry hop finish. Its mouthfeel is flavorful, exceptionally balanced while leaving a dry hoppy aftertaste.

While this is a good beer, and I'll gladly have another, I come to question the style designation for GW. This is nicely balanced, but I'm left with an impression of a hopped up Chec Pilsner or an APA. In all fairness, the BA style designation suggests a Blonde Ale may be near a lager, however, this it is not near a Kolsch.

A - Golden Wing, like Finch's others, is filled to the brim. Be careful of a little splash when the can is opened. It pours a gorgeous deep golden honey color with a long-lasting dense white head. Delicate lace clutches the glass as it recedes.

S - Grainy pale malts balance out the pilsner sweetness this beer offers up right away which delicately into the subtly hop additions. A soft kiss of citrus zest arouses the senses and signals balance and refreshment ahead. Light earthy notes finish out.

T - The earthy tones at the back end of the aroma spring forwards in flavor, washing the tongue with a combination of light pine-like hop resin and cut lawn. Grainy pale malt is more suggestive than any sweetness adding a dry, mildly harsh bite that's closely followed by a splash of citrus.

M - Crisp and refreshing, Golden Wing resembles a lager more than an ale in this department. Light-bodied but certainly not thin, this beer has a vibrant carbonation spritz to it with a bone-dry softly bitter finish of hops.

O - Golden Wing is a great introductory beer for anyone looking to kick the BMC habit but not get crazy. This blonde ale features a smooth body and overall, light flavor that nags at you without beating you over the head; a perfect combo for a mindless summer slammer and/or delicate beer you can sip and enjoy.